Cervical Cancer: Now Preventable?
Despite Cervical Cancer being highly preventable and treatable, it is still ranked as the second most common cancer in India and patients continue to die from this. Each year, more than one lakh women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and half of them do not survive. In May 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a call for elimination of cervical cancer by 2030 through widespread HPV vaccination, screening ( early diagnosis and treatment of cervical pre-cancer and cancer). What is cervical cancer and How is it caused? The cervix is at the lower end of the uterus and above the vagina. The cancer of this part is called Cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is caused by sexually transmitted high risk “Human Papilloma Virus” (HPV). What are the risk factors for infection with High risk HPV ? Since this virus is sexually transmitted...